French prosecutors have launched an investigation into a case of cyberbullying raised by Algerian Olympic boxer Imane Khelif. Khelif accuses several prominent individuals of participating in online harassment related to her gender. The prosecution announced on Wednesday that authors J.K. Rowling, former X (Twitter) owner Elon Musk, and former U.S. President Donald Trump have been named in the complaint filed by Khelif’s lawyer, Nabil Boudi. However, the complaint is directed more towards social media platforms, including X, rather than specific individuals, which is a common practice under French law that allows investigators to determine who or which organization may be held accountable.
The investigation has been initiated by the prosecution’s office for combating crimes against humanity and hate crimes and includes allegations of “cyberbullying based on gender, public insults based on gender, public incitement to discrimination, and public insults based on origin.” Khelif, who was at the center of a gender debate during the Paris Olympics, is Algeria’s first female Olympic gold medalist in boxing and the first athlete from the country to win gold since 1996. Boudi filed the complaint last week, describing how the 25-year-old boxer became the target of a “misogynistic, racist, and sexist campaign” on her path to winning gold in women’s welterweight boxing.
The controversy erupted after Khelif’s Italian opponent, Angela Carini, withdrew from the match seconds into the bout, citing safety concerns. False claims began circulating online suggesting that Khelif was transgender or male. In a post on X, Rowling described the boxing match as “a man hitting a woman,” while Musk shared a message that stated, “men don’t belong in women’s sports.” Trump posted an image of the fight with the caption: “I will keep men out of women’s sports.”
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has defended Khelif and condemned those spreading misinformation. Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting were approved to participate in the Olympics after having been disqualified from last year’s World Championship for not passing gender eligibility tests. The world championship is overseen by the International Boxing Association, not the IOC.
Khelif has publicly stated that she is “a woman like any other.” “I was born a woman, I have lived as a woman, and I have competed as a woman,” she said to reporters amid the controversy. “They hate me, and I don’t know why.” On Monday, Khelif was met with chants of “tahia Imane,” meaning “long live Imane,” as she arrived at Algiers airport. A leader in the state newspaper El Moudjahid praised the boxer, stating: “Imane’s victory is also a victory for the oppressed and excluded, but above all, it is a victory for the law, which has been trampled on for too long by the harsh logic of the powerful.”
Khelif’s coach, Mustapha Bensaou, stated that the boxer’s complaint in France should “serve as a lesson in defending the rights and honor [of athletes] in Algeria and worldwide.” “All involved will be prosecuted for violating Imane’s dignity and honor,” Bensaou told the Associated Press. “The attacks on Imane were designed to break her and undermine her morale. Thankfully, she triumphed.”